Tonight, I arrived home to something I knew was coming, but had been anxiously awaiting. One of my best girlfriend’s Save the Date cards. The Public Defender and I went to the same college and were roommates a couple years later immediately after both of us broke up with our (now) ex-fiances,  and were getting our lives back together. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…nah, it was just the best of times. 

She moved into my house for about 9 months, while she was shifted around in the public defense “system” of LA  (seriously, the way public defenders are trained is crazy. They have to go through multiple court houses, so there’s no way they can actually settle until they get through a huge number of systemic upheavals) The Public Defender was living with me while I started my business, and has seen it grow from a spark in my eye (before she had even passed the BAR), to Tuesday night meetings around the dining room table, to offices and an office Christmas party (in her words: “holy crap, that’s stuff my mom has to worry about!”), to me being across the country working when she was proposed to. 

The Public Defender is a lot of things I aspire to be. She knows her convictions, and allows those to be her guide in life. She has a contruct of values and lives her life according to them…both personally and professionally. 

 Now, I’m not saying that I agree with her opinions and convictions on things. In fact, some of the best times we have are over a bottle of cab, disagreeing. But, her singular purpose to live life behind the beliefs she has committed to is inspiring. 

and makes me change a little every day.